Railway-switch.



PATENTED AUG. 4, 1903;

J. M. PAYNE. RAILWAY SWITCH. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 9. 1903.

N0 MODEL.

UNITED STATES iatented August 4, 1903.

PATENT Gnnrca RAI LWAY-SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Fatent No. 7 3 5,576, dated August 4, 1903.

Application filed January 9, 1903.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH M. PAYNE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Spokane, in the county of Spokane and State of Washington, have invented new and useful Improvements in Railway-Switches, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in railway-switch-operating devices, and its object is to provide an attachment of simple construction whereby a switch of any style may be shifted into desired position by the motorman or any other person upon the car operating the same.

A further object is to employ means adapted to be located upon the car and by means of which the switch may be shifted.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists in arranging a stationary guide-rail between and parallel with the rails at a point adjacent to the switch, and a sliding switch-barextends from the switch and through this guide-rail and is provided at opposite sides of the rail with inclined projections. Either one of these projections is adapted to be pressed laterally by a wedge con nected to a vertically-movable and revoluble rod journaled upon the front platform of a car and adapted to be operated by means of a crank located at the upper end thereof. This rod is normally held with the wedge thereon' normally removed from the plane of the inclined projections before referred to, but can be readily pressed downward to bring said wedge in position to contact with and operate the sliding switch-bar.

The invention also consists in the further novel construction and combination of.parts hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, showing the preferred form of my invention, and in which- Figure 1 is a plan view showing my switch attachment applied to an ordinary street railway switch. Fig. 2 is'a section through one end of a car and showing the switch-throwing mechanism in elevation. Fig. 3 is a section on line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detail view of one of the blocks connected to the switchbar. Fig. 5 is a similar view of the operatingwedge. Fig. 6 is a plan view of said wedge; and Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 2 and show- Serial No. 138.407. (NomodeL) ing in modified form a view of operating mechanism, which modification may be necessary to apply to the various styles of switches.

Referring to the figures by numerals of ref erence, 1 is a main rail, and 2 a siding-rail,

and interposed therebetween in the ordinary manner is a switch-tongue 3. This tongue is pivotally connected to a sliding switch-bar 4, which extends laterally therefrom and through one end of a stationary guide-rail 5, parallel with the rail 1 and at a suitable distance therefrom. Secured to the bar l at each side of rail 5 is a projection, preferably a block 6, having its inner face 7 inclined inwardly toward the rail 5. These blocks 6 are so positioned upon the bar' 4 that either one of them is adapted to lie close to the side of rail 5, according tothe position of the tongue. The blocks 6 are adapted to be shifted later-. ally in relation to the rail 5 by means of mechanism located upon a car. comprises an upright rod 8, longitudinally movable and revoluble within abracket 9, secured to the front end of the car. A'crank 10 is formed at the upper end of the rod, while the lower end extends through the bottom of the car and is braced by means of a bracket 11. This lower end of the rod projects into an aperture 12, formed within a block 13, and may be locked in said aperture in any suitable manner, as by means of a set-screw 14. Extending downward from the rear end of the block 13 at right angles thereto is an arm 15, which is tapered toward the front face to form a wedge 16. A collar 17 is secured to the rod 8, and a coiled spring 18 is interposed between it and the bottom of the carand serves to hold the rod normally raised. A sleeve 19 is fitted upon rod 8 and has a lug 20 thereon which is slidably mounted within a slot 21, formed in the front end of the car. A footpiece 22 also extends from this sleeve.

When a car'approaches the switch and it is desired to shift the tongue 3, the crank 10 is turned so as to bring wedge 16 011 that side of rail 5 against which one of the blocks 6 abuts. The rod is then depressed by forcing the foot-piece 22 downward, and wedge16 is thus brought into position at one side of the rail 5, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2.. As the car travels forward the wedge 16 will pass between rail 5 and the beveled edge 7 of block This mechanism 6, and as said rail is rigid and the block movable it is obvious that the block will be forced laterally in relation to the rail and will carry bar 4 therewith, thereby bringing the tongue 3 into desired position. The distance between the rail and the inner end of block (5 when the same is removed therefrom is suflicient to permit the Wedge 16 to pass therebetween. When it is desired to shift the tongue in the opposite direction, it is merely necessary to turn the crank 10 so as to bring the wedge at the opposite side of rail 5, and the operation may then be repeated as above described.

In Fig. 7 I have shown a modified form of the device for shifting the tongue of the switch. This consists of a strip 23, which is pivoted to the forward end of the car and is provided at its lower end with a roller 24, adapted to contact with and shift the blocks 0. The lower end of rod 8 is provided with an angular extension 25, having a hanger 26 thereon, which is pivoted to strip 23 at a point between its ends. The operation of this modified form is similar in every respect to that of the device hereinbefore described.

In the foregoing description I have shown the preferred form of my invention; but I do not limit myself thereto, as I am aware that modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof, and I therefore reserve the right to make such changes as fairly fall within the scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In a device of the character described, the combination with a stationary guide-rail, a slidable switch-bar extending through said rail and adapted to be connected to a switchtongue, and projections upon the bar at opposite sides of the rail; of a revoluble rod adapted to be mounted upon a car and carried above the guide-rail, means for depressing the rod and rotating the same, a block having an aperture therein for the reception of the rod, means for adj ustably securing the block to the rod, a downwardly-extending arm at the rear end of the block, and beveled faces to the block forming a wedge, said arm being adapted be turned by the rod to either side of the guide-rail. a

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH M. PAYNE.

\Vitnesses:

LESTER PAYNE, T. W. TOLMAN. 

